Flexible Thinking
by Beth6787
Summary: A bit of fun after all the angst. Based on a joke Robert Beltran once made...


Beth6787

17 January y

Flexible Thinking...

A bit of fun after all the angst. Based on a joke Robert Beltran once made...

Not again ! She had just about had enough of the whole Q Continuum. After spending the last week mentoring Q's delinquent teenage son...There was his father, bold as brass, standing at the base of her bed with a steaming mug of coffee in hand. Well at least he had the good grace not to have jumped in with her - as he had done in her bathtub. Getting the concept of 'boundaries' through to a Q was mission improbable at best !

"Good morning Kathy. No. no ...please don't get up on my account. I'm not stopping..."

She glanced at her chronometer " Q it's 0215 hours, I've only just gotten to sleep a few minutes ago! This had better be a matter of life or death..." she kicked herself mentally for that one. Fancy giving him unnecessary ideas : put it down to exhaustion Captain.

"Oh...well now I think about it..." suddenly a grin spread across his face " it could just be...for you and your merry band of Voyagers that is."

Kathryn glared at him and grabbed the coffee before he had a chance to click his fingers and the soothing liquid vanish into thin air.

"My newly reformed...after your impressive co-parenting of course ...son has informed me that I have not thanked you sufficiently for mentoring him. And for saving his young friend Icheb from the clutches of death. Q Junior has never had a friend before...but now that he has..." Q shuffled about and wouldn't meet her eye. "He says he is ashamed of my for taunting you over the years. That I need to learn to be a good friend too. So here I am. I am going to tell you how to get 'Home'. Though why you want to go back to that boring ball of rules and regulations I'll never know..."

"Q ! ! !" She could feel the last of her patience evaporating with the remaining dregs of coffee.

"Okay ! Okay ! I know when I've outstayed my welcome."

Kathryn had to bite her tongue to stop herself saying that that would be a first!

"I'm not going to cheat and click my fingers and take you there. You've made it more than clear you want to lumber about yourself and eventually take all the credit..." she was now looking with disinterest past him and out of the window. Feigning indifference.

"So I am going to tell you. At least give you a great stomping clue...and if you are too dumb to work it out...well I'll have done what my son wanted so..."

"Q you have ten seconds before I personally throw you out of the nearest airlock.."

"The answer my Dear Capitan...is staring you in the face. Every day. All you need is a little flexible thinking." And with that he winked at her, clicked his fingers and vanished.

Kathryn sighed and asked the computer to verify that there were no intruders on board. It did so and also informed her that there had been no anomalous readings for the past half hour. Q had covered his tracks well. Should she alert the Bridge? What was the point. She doubted he would turn up again for a while. He had had his fun and denied her yet another night's brief rest in the process.

Well she was wide awake after all that coffee. May as well get up and do some work. Read a few reports ...

She showered and changed into a fresh uniform. Having organised her stack of unread reports from yesterday's backlog she found her mind wandering. Assuming for a moment that Q's offer to help had been genuine...what had he meant?

Staring her in the face every day?...

Flexible thinking?...

At the moment she was so tired that she couldn't think at all : yet alone creatively.

She sighed. She would go for a leg stretch around the ship, just to check all was well, then head for her Ready Room. Perhaps the exercise would clear her head. She fervently hoped that she would never see any of the Q again on this journey !

—-

Chakotay glanced around. All of Alpha Shift were now at their stations bar the Captain. It was 0709 hours and she always made a point of being punctual. So that could mean only one thing. She was already in her Ready Room and had pulled yet another all nighter. Doubtless, she was slumped over her desk. Exhaustion inevitably catching up with her.

He was just about to casually walk over, looking as though they had pre-planned an early morning meeting in there, when she hurried out. The rest of the crew either stood to attention or managed to give the appearance that they had not noticed that she was not already seated in her command chair.

She hastily sat down and starting punching buttons to look busy to those at their duty stations behind her. Glancing at him she nodded briefly "Good morning Commander. Anything that I should be aware of from the Gamma Shift changeover?"

"Negative Captain. Ship's systems are all functioning within normal parameters and there has been no anomalous activity within three light years of our current location."

She responded, keeping her voice as neutral as possible "Good. As you were. Helm maintain present course. Decrease speed to full impulse. Commander, inform Engineering that they are cleared to carry out the warp coil re-calibration that Lieutenant Torres requested yesterday."

As she did so she was looking at Chakotay. He didn't notice as he was busy patching through her orders to B'Elanna's console in Engineering.

Suddenly she had a crazy idea. It was so "out there" as Mr. Paris would put it, that she immediately tried to drive it from her head. But she couldn't. Staring her in the face? Every day? No ! It was just too ridiculous for words. But then again...

Well why not? So far it was shaping up to be an uneventful day. For a welcome change! Perhaps she would have a little fun after all. Now all she needed was a holodeck to run the simulation...

"Commander you have the Bridge. I'll be in my Ready Room for the next two hours. Catching up on reports. Please do not disturb me unless absolutely necessary."

"Acknowledged". He didn't look up as she headed back to her office. So he had been right. She was exhausted and needed a couple of hours to nap. He made a mental note to ensure that she was not disturbed by anyone but him.

—

She was standing in Holodeck 2 looking at the results of her simulated course trajectory and could not believe it. There WAS something at the end point co-ordinates. Though from this distance she could not tell what. For that, she would have to commandeer the Astro-metrics sensors later tonight...

After returning to her Ready Room she had engaged the privacy locks using her command codes. Even Chakotay would not be able to get in without her knowledge. She had arranged a site to site transport to her current location but the ship's sensors had been altered to show her still in the Ready Room. What she was doing was so insane that she had no intention of being caught...unless there was something concrete to inform the senior staff of.

She had expected to find absolutely nothing. Another of Q's time wasting pranks. Besides, she may have misinterpreted his clue. It had been vague at best...it could mean literally anything, or more likely, nothing! Still...here she was...

Looking for the magic door home by superimposing the configuration of Chakotay's tattoo onto the star chart of the Delta Quadrant!

More specifically, she had accessed his medical file for the exact facial measurements and superimposed those onto the region of space between the original position of their emergence into the vicinity of the Caretaker's Array and Sector 001 in the Alpha Quadrant. She had told the computer to assume an area of space 75,000 light years across and orientated the tattoo overlay so that the start point of the inking was at the point of origin of their emergence from the displacement wave.

Then she had asked the computer to show her the position of the point in space relating to the end point of the inking line on the tattoo. And there was something there !

Not only something but it had a significant gravimetric distortion associated with it. At least as far as she could tell using her holographically simulated sensors. That could mean any type of anomaly with a strong gravitational field. A black hole; a binary pulsar; a quasar or...a very large wormhole. Maybe even one of sufficient size for Voyager to traverse safely...leading to the Alpha Quadrant? ...to home?...

No this was surely ridiculous...but...what had been the second part of Q's clue?

Flexible thinking...Chakotay's tribe were known as the "Rubber Tree People". Well, rubber was certainly flexible...but this was just ridiculous...she was tired...overwrought ...

Time to stop this nonsense and get back to her Ready Room and do some actual work. "Computer. End simulation and delete program. Code Janeway 0..."

Before she could finish the command Q appeared. "Well done Kathy! You might want to reconsider that order you are in the process of giving your computer. It would be a shame to see all that hard work go to waste."

And with that he was gone.

—-

Thirteen hours later...

Here she was. In Astrometrics in the middle of the night. Seven was regenerating - she had checked before coming here - and the laboratory was on standby until 0600 hours. Again she had had to alter the sensors so the Bridge would not detect any activity in here.

She had transferred the data from her holo-program and then superimposed the last six and a half years worth of navigational data. Course corrections; speed variances; sudden shifts in their position due to Kes's help; technological and astronomical influencers etc. Anything and everything to ascertain their current location on the "Tattoo Grid" as she was calling it for now.

The computer had just informed her that, at maximum warp, taking the shortest direct flight path, they could reach their destination in six months, two weeks and five days. The only problem was that flight path would be going off at a eighty degree tangent from their current trajectory. Effectively turning around and heading away from the Alpha Quadrant.

Six months in the wrong direction to investigate a spatial anomaly that was, admittedly, a wormhole. Though of course, there would be no way of knowing whether it was stable or where it led until they reached it and could send a probe through. And if this was some sort of sick joke or charade by Q...

Perhaps she could send an Away Team in the Delta Flyer...but an almost year long mission away from Voyager? And that was assuming they stayed at a full stop until the Flyer returned...

No. She either diverted the ship and they all went or she forgot about it altogether. She was 99% sure she should do the latter but...to deny them all even the slim chance of getting home thirty eight years ahead of their current schedule...if Q WAS telling the truth...

She would sleep on it. If she hadn't come to her senses in the morning she would discuss it with Chakotay. In private. Though she might need a fortified coffee or two beforehand !

—

Chakotay was surreptitiously attempting to scan the Captain, under the desk, as she talked. Assuming it actually WAS the Captain of course. He had heard some rather extreme and unorthodox ideas from her before...but this !?

Q had supposedly appeared in her quarters in the early hours of the morning, night before last, and told her that all she had needed to do to get home - all along - was to have taken a photo of his tattoo and told the helm to fly about in some crazy maze shaped pattern for the last few years. And, hey presto, they would arrive at a handy magic passageway home. A veritable 24th century Alice in Wonderland tale no less!

Not only had she given this credence but she had actually spent several hours and extensive ship's resources - holed up in the Astrometrics Laboratory - in the wee small hours of the morning extrapolating a course. And what had she found? A convenient anomaly that the sensors indicated was indeed a wormhole. No doubt Q would supply suitable pictures of Earth through the exit point too, should she humour him that far.

Well his tricorder confirmed that it was Kathryn sitting in front of him though whether she was under some sort of mind control...

"Captain. You can't be seriously considering this? ! Even if Q did appear to you - and according to sensors he never materialised on the ship at all that night - the likelihood is that this is some elaborate ploy to keep us away from wherever is ahead on our current trajectory. Could you have been dreaming?" He was trying to be tactful but...honestly ! ...

"Chakotay, why do you think I was so careful to cover my tracks when I did the initial research? Of course, I am as sceptical as you. With Q you never really know his motives. Besides, I had expected to find nothing at all. But this data confirms there IS a wormhole at those exit coordinates. And it's only a seven month detour at maximum warp. Compared to a thirty eight year journey if we carry on as planned. How can I, in good conscience, just dismiss this? Of course, I thought of sending an Away Team on the Flyer but that would be over a year's round trip and necessitate Voyager waiting in this region of space for their return. Sitting ducks, so to speak. No. We either all go or forget the whole thing."

"Well I'm in favour of the 'forget it' option. You remember that incident when Q wanted to mate with you? Whilst we were "discussing" the situation in the Ready Room he .."

" appeared and taunted you about your tattoo. Creating a grotesquely enlarged one on his own face..." she could see where Chakotay was going with this. "You think he is motivated by jealousy of you? And perhaps thinks he can come between us by getting me to go off on some ridiculous wild goose chase based on.."

"My appearance. My tattoo, that he thinks is some primitive marking that demonstrates how backward and simplistic an individual I am." Chakotay was doing his best not to let it get under his skin (ouch ! Q was making him think like a moron now too) but failing. Damn him : they were playing right into his hands.

Kathryn considered her dear friend and First Officer. He was right. This was some ploy and Q had likely falsified her computer readouts all along. "I agree. Let's forget it and carry on as planned. We've had quite enough 'help' from the Q family to last several lifetimes."

"Amen to that. Now perhaps we can do something constructive, like go and grab some lunch before all that is left is Neelix's Leola Root Broth. Again!"

She grinned and playfully swiped at him. "Last one there gets to make our dinner tonight."

With that she raced off at as brisk a walk as she could manage whilst still maintaining her dignity and authority in front of the crew. Chakotay made a point of not trying too hard to catch up. His stomach couldn't cope with Neelix's & Kathryn's cooking on the same day.

—

It was gone 2300 hours and time to call it a night. The rest of the day had proved uneventful and Kathryn assured him that she had deleted all the files pertaining to her overnight 'investigation'. No sign of Q or any other anomalous readings of any sort. He had organised dinner and Kathryn was going to clear up.

He stood to leave "Goodnight Kathryn and..." he hesitated for a moment then decided to plough on "I'm sorry for my reaction earlier. I can understand your wanting to investigate any possible leads to a short cut home. It's just that Q always rubs me up the wrong way. Especially where you are concerned."

She quickly looked down and busied herself with stacking the recycling, before he noticed the flush creeping up her face. "It's fine Chakotay. You only confirmed what I had thought all along. Q was just ribbing me and no doubt was laughing away at how gullible I was to follow his lead." Then she remembered something she had not told Chakotay earlier.

"Actually, I've just remembered that he returned after I found the wormhole and congratulated me."

He was half way out of the door but froze and then did an about turn. "What did he say: exactly?"

Kathryn tried to remember. "He said well done...and that I shouldn't delete the data and waste all my hard work..." she paused. "He did look genuinely pleased for me. That I had worked it out..."

They looked at each other. Damn Q...IF - and it was a big if - he was actually being genuine for once...

"Let's sleep on it Kathryn. See what tomorrow brings and make a final decision then."

With that he headed back to his quarters before he said anything else he was sure he would come to regret.

—

He had tried meditating with his Akoonah but no vision would come tonight. He was just too worked up. Any sign or mention of Q did that to him. Q didn't give up easily and he had set his sights on Kathryn. His Kathryn. Of course he was sure that Q had no genuine feelings for her at all. How could he? He barely knew her. He just wanted to seduce her to be able to brag of his 'conquest'. Well there was no way that he, Chakotay, would do anything to facilitate that. He couldn't see where this little charade was heading but Kathryn's Achilles Heel was her desperate desire to get this crew home. And Q knew it.

Q may be omnipotent but Chakotay was only human. And desperately in need of a few hours sleep. He threw the medicine bundle out of sight under his bed and went to freshen up before turning in.

—-

Chakotay was back with those aliens they had met a couple of years ago. The ones that were the ancient ancestors of his tribe, here in the Delta Quadrant. It was night time and the Elder was pointing to the sky. The pattern of the stars. Chakotay looked closer. Sure enough the whole sky was filled with one massive constellation. In the exact same pattern as the markings on his forehead.

He was confused and went to look back to ask the Elder what this vision meant. But he was gone. Suddenly a gekko jumped down from the log lying next to him and ran across the sand. Back and forth, back and forth. Sure enough, a few minutes later, there was the exact same pattern in the sand. Then the gekko disappeared.

Chakotay started to walk along the beach. The wind suddenly blew up a gale and the sea was spraying so much salt water in his face that he couldn't see where he was going. He stumbled along until his elbow knocked against solid rock. A cavern. He staggered into the passageway. The corridor seemed to go on and on. Turning first left then straight ahead then right then down. He became dimly aware of the same pattern forming in his mind. Then a distant light...daylight at the end of the tunnel perhaps? As he headed towards it he saw a figure standing there. Kathryn in a summer dress. She was smiling and beckoning to him...

As he went to approach her the floor of the cave started to give way and a large chasm appeared in front of him. He stepped back just in time but Kathryn was still urging him on. Then he heard laughter from behind him. There further back down the passageway stood Q. He was caught in the middle...

As he leaned against the wall trying to decide whether to turn back or try and bridge the chasm to Kathryn's side the gekko ran across his hand. "Trust her" it said. Stopping to look him in the eye before vanishing. Chakotay turned and walked back towards Q who was still smirking "A wise decision native boy.." he taunted. Then, when he thought he had enough passageway ahead, he turned abruptly and ran for his life towards her, jumping with all his might at the last moment...

The next thing he knew, he was wide awake in his quarters. But his decision was made.

—-

Now it was Kathryn's turn to be incredulous. They had both retired to the Ready Room after a couple of hours on the Bridge getting the day's work under way. No sooner had she replicated their mid morning drinks and sat down to discuss the Engineering updates : then Chakotay had blurted out "I was wrong last evening Kathryn. We should go ahead with that course change and check out the wormhole Q told you about."

"Firstly, he didn't tell me about it as such. I made a crazy supposition and came to an even crazier answer. He merely humoured that. Last night you were adamant that it was all nonsense and - after sleeping on it, properly for once I might add - I agree with you. It's a complete waste of time and valuable resources. What on earth has possessed you to change your mind?"

He wasn't looking forward to admitting it. What he was about to say was even crazier than her believing Q. At least she had some hard data to back her up. He on the other hand...

"I tried to meditate last night, but had no luck. I must have been too agitated and annoyed. Thinking about Q. Anyway, I gave up and went to bed then..." she was giving him one of her 'looks'. He stopped. Perhaps he had better just shut up now.

Kathryn felt guilty. Chakotay had at least heard her out yesterday "Please Chakotay. Go on. Tell me. It can't be any crazier than my story."

"You want to bet on that ?" Then he told her the dream. Every detail.

"The gekko. That was my animal guide. He seldom comes to me, even when I try to meditate like you taught me but when he has...he's always given me sound advice."

" And he told me to trust you. Your original decision. I think we should change course. Obviously we need to tell the crew something more rational than all this."

Kathryn grimaced. "Can you imagine Tuvok's response if we told him what we've been up to the last couple of days? I think he would have the Doctor relieve us both of command. With immediate effect!"

"I agree. So when I got up this morning I had a look at what is along the new flight trajectory. In eighteen days we come to a nebula with rich deuterium deposits. I know our stocks are not yet low but..."

"It would be a rational reason to alter our heading. Which gives us three weeks to come up with a reason to carry on further along that trajectory afterwards. Well done Chakotay. Let's get going."

They headed out to the Bridge and ordered Tom to change heading then called a senior staff meeting. No one objected to the detour and B'Elanna was always grateful to increase the stocks of deuterium. Having a working surplus was a rare luxury.

The day continued without further events of note and Kathryn decided to get an early night.

—-

She had spent most of the night tossing and turning. Her mind refused to rest. It was still concerning her how she would justify veering off back into the depths of the DQ once the buzzard collectors were at capacity. A three week detour was one thing. A seven month one : quite another.

The second part of Q's clue came coming back to mind. Think flexibly? What was she missing?

She had the path mapped out by the tattoo...it would take seven months to get there by the most direct route...assuming the tattoo was in a two dimensional plane. That's it ! It was obvious. She needed to think in three dimensions and that would solve the fourth one of the time issue. She jumped up and quickly dressed. 0320 hours. Astrometrics would be empty just now. Perfect.

—

When she got there she called up the flight plan she had created. "Computer convert the two dimensional planar grid into a three dimensional one. Assume a sphere. All other parameters and assumptions to hold as are."

Bingo ! Time from their current location to the wormhole aperture was five weeks and one day. A mere fortnight's journey from the nebula. It would be no problem for Seven to detect the wormhole once they reached the nebula and she could feign surprise and suggest that whilst they were in the locale they were duty bound to investigate. Flexible thinking indeed !

She grinned "Janeway to Chakotay. Get down to Astrometrics as soon as you can. I have something to show you."

"This had better be good Kathryn. It's the middle of the night."

She couldn't resist the retort "Just trust me!"

—-

Five weeks later...

Well, we're here as planned. Sure enough, as soon as we had approached the nebula, Seven's team detected the wormhole. After loading up with as much deuterium as we could carry Voyager had headed out to investigate the wormhole. All had looked very promising until we sent the probes through. The third had just cut out, exactly as the previous two had.

The moment they emerged into normal space on exiting the wormhole.

So we have no idea where it comes out. Otherwise it is perfect. Stable, only mild electromagnetic eddies inside to navigate. Tom is sure he can traverse it without problems. So am I. The aperture is wide, as are the internal dimensions. You could comfortably fly a Galaxy Class starship through with room to spare. But. ...we would be going in blind with no idea of the end destination. We could come out right inside a Borg hub...or back in Kazon space where we started out...or maybe even deeper into the Delta Quadrant...

I lean over in my command chair and talk quietly so only Chakotay can hear. "So, after all this time and effort we appear to be back where we started. We have a shortcut to somewhere but..."

"We could end up even further from home than we are now. Or worse case scenario, further from home than we were at the beginning of our journey... Can we risk it?"

"I suppose it comes down to this : Do we, or rather do I, trust Q?" Kathryn looked at him pensively.

He could see her agonising and was torn himself. Should he follow his head and tell her to forget it or trust his gut and follow the lead in his dream. Her spirit guide had said to trust Kathryn. Then he would. "I think you have to go with your gut here. Make the call Kathryn."

She looked around the Bridge at her senior staff. No one said a word. They all knew what was at stake and she could see their instincts were split fifty fifty. Just by looking in their eyes. Tuvok and Seven would use logic to err on the side of caution and continue our original route home. Harry would jump at the chance to try the wormhole on the small off chance that it may take us nearer to home. Tom just wanted the challenge of 'riding the rapids' and play it by ear thereafter.

It was Tuvok's observation which clinched it. "Of course, there is no logical reason that we could not simply re-enter the wormhole and return here if we are unhappy with the exit location..."

Kathryn's face lit up "You surprise me Commander. I never took you for a gambler." Tuvok's face remained impassive except for the minutest twitch of his right eyebrow. He knew no one else would spot it but her. Kathryn suppressed a laugh.

Turning to Chakotay she said - loudly enough for the whole Bridge to overhear - "Commander: heads or tails?"

Chakotay closed his eyes and saw the gekko sitting on the log. It winked at him. He was probably going insane but what the heck... "Heads"

Kathryn flipped the lucky coin Paris had given her as part of a bet he had lost years ago. Heads it was.

"Tom, take us in. Half impulse. Steady as she goes."

—

Forty minutes later...

There was the aperture rapidly approaching on the view screen. The star scape was just visible but there was too much interference at the exit point for the navigational sensors to determine their location just yet.

"Tom as soon as we exit the aperture take us to a safe distance then full stop. Harry, the moment we are stationary I want a full sensor sweep and send the data directly to Seven's station. Seven I want an idea where we are as soon as possible. Never mind the specifics, just which Quadrant and roughly our position in relation to the other end of the wormhole. If we need to turn back I want to do so as soon as possible."

"Understood." Came from all three in unison.

Just as they exited it became immediately apparent why the probes had failed. They were almost on top of a planet!

"Tom reverse thrusters. Can we enter orbit or do we have to go for an emergency landing?"

"I'll try and bounce her off the outer atmosphere. B'Elanna, can you vent the neutrinos from the nacelles."

"I'm already on it fly boy" came back from Engineering.

Tom grinned to himself. They made a great team. "Hold tight folks!"

It was touch and go for a couple of minutes but Paris had pulled it off. "We are in standard orbit, twelve thousand metres from the surface."

Kathryn looked at Chakotay "Well done Tom. Engineering, what's your status?"

Kathryn could hear a few muffled Klingon expletives in the background before Vorik replied "There had been considerable damage to both nacelles. Lieutenant Torres estimates that it will be at least four days before we have warp drive restored."

"Thank you Ensign. Keep me informed. Janeway out."

Tom was not looking forward to seeing his wife his evening. He looked round sheepishly. "Sorry Captain...Harry I could really do with some good news now..."

But it was Seven who announced it. "I have determined that we are on the outskirts of the Alpha Quadrant in orbit of a M class planet. It's designation is Risa."

With that Harry gave a great whoop and ran over to hug Seven. In fact, the whole Bridge crew seemed to have developed delirium apart from Commander Tuvok.

Just then Q and Q Junior materialised. "Well Kathy, I thought you'd want a little shore leave before heading back to that ball of boredom. Did I get it wrong?"

Q was confused. She was approaching him with a very odd look on her face. Then before he knew it she had her arms around his neck and her lips locked with his...Hmmm rather an odd sensation but seeing the expression on native boy's face... Q grabbed Kathryn and kissed her back hard.

She pulled away. "Thank you Q but if you ever do that again..."

"That's our cue to leave Dad. Have a great vacation aunt Kathy. You too Chakotay. Bye." And with that Q Junior sent them both back to the Continuum.

"So Chakotay, are you up for showing me your other tattoo. Rumour has it.."

"Oh I can guarantee it's much more impressive than Q's."

—-

Two hours later and lying on a sun lounger, drink in hand with Chakotay asleep beside her... she had to admit. Yes it was !

THE END

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